Ångström-resolution imaging of cell-surface glycans
Masullo LA, Almahayni K, Pachmayr I, Honsa M, Heinze L, Fritsche S, Grabmayr H, Jungmann R, Möckl L (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
DOI: 10.1038/s41565-025-01966-5
Abstract
Glycobiology is rooted in the study of monosaccharides, ångström-sized molecules that are the building blocks of glycosylation. Glycosylated biomolecules form the glycocalyx, a dense coat encasing every human cell with central relevance—among others—in immunology, oncology and virology. To understand glycosylation function, visualizing its molecular structure is fundamental. However, the ability to visualize the molecular architecture of the glycocalyx has remained challenging. Techniques such as mass spectrometry, electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy lack the necessary cellular context, specificity and resolution. Here we combine resolution enhancement by sequential imaging with metabolic labelling, enabling the visualization of individual sugars within glycans on the cell surface, thus obtaining images of the glycocalyx with a spatial resolution down to 9 Å in an optical microscope.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie / Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry
Germany (DE)
Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Masullo, L.A., Almahayni, K., Pachmayr, I., Honsa, M., Heinze, L., Fritsche, S.,... Möckl, L. (2025). Ångström-resolution imaging of cell-surface glycans. Nature Nanotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-01966-5
MLA:
Masullo, Luciano A., et al. "Ångström-resolution imaging of cell-surface glycans." Nature Nanotechnology (2025).
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